I posted this over at SS, but between all the infighting, and watching of it, it seems to be being ignored...
It's in relation to the possibility of Jordan Staley being groomed as a FB.
Thoughts?
I know he's a rookie, I know he's not exactly set the world on fire yet and I KNOW he's been drafted and played as a forward/ruck...
BUT, and I'll admit I haven't seen any of him in the flesh...
As Stanley was tried as a forward ruck and is now showing some potential as a CHB, could Staley be an answer to our FB issues?
As other posters have pointed out we're at least 3-4 years away from being a contender, and thats only if things all go our way, by then Fisher will be gone, Dempster and Gwilt on their last legs if still around (you never know) and he could have had multiple years of blooding in the position. It seems that, assuming potential is realised, McEvoy, Hickey or Pierce have the inside running on the ruck spots for future considerations - and Staley's too small at league level anyway - and we can assume the same holds true for White, Lee and possibly Siposs in the forwardline KP roles.
In the Simpkin thread footynut had a 2017 or so backline as follows (which had some potential to it):
Geary 183cm 28y.o. / Ferguson 194cm 24y.o. / Simpkin 191cm 26y.o.
Roberton 194cm 25y.o. / Stanley 200cm 26y.o. / Webster 188cm 23y.o.
Again, other posters have pointed out that Simpkin, much as I love him, is too short to play on the big forwards in today's game, but can certainly hold the medium and slower small forwards. The issue I have with the above is that all reports seem to suggest that Ferg plays more like an oversized flanker, in a similar vein to Sam Gilbert.
Staley is a nine months YOUNGER than Ferg, but is the same height, heavier at 93kegs to 89 (as listed) and has played key positions throughout his junior days.
Why not;
Geary 183cm 28y.o. / Staley 194cm 24y.o. / Simpkin 191cm 26y.o.
Roberton 194cm 25y.o. / Stanley 200cm 26y.o. / Webster 188cm 23y.o.
with Ferg as the 'swingman'.
Or are we trusting to Lever's (who has said he prefers CHB) potential weight gain to shore us up?
http://truezebras.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/dsc_9901.jpg?w=1000&h=
For height reference, I believe that's Jordan in the #40